The draft law “On transparency of foreign influence” will be submitted to the Bureau of the Parliament today. The Bureau will send it to the parliamentary committees for consideration.
The draft law is registered in the name of the Georgian Dream faction. Its content is similar to the draft law submitted last year and dropped as a result of protests.
The draft law provides for the registration of non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities and media outlets as organizations carrying out the interests of a foreign power, if certain volume of their income – in particular, more than 20% – is received from abroad.
According to the draft law, everyone who is considered to be an “organization carrying the interests of a foreign power” must be registered in the public register under the same name in a mandatory manner. At the time of registration, it will be necessary to reflect the received income.
At the same time, the organizations will have the obligation to fill in the financial declaration every year.
The draft law, “In order to identify the organization carrying out the interests of a foreign power” gives the Ministry of Justice the authority to study and monitor the issue at any time.
Avoiding registration as an organization carrying out the interests of a foreign power or not filling out the declaration will result in the organization being fined in the amount of 25 thousand GEL.
The draft also envisages the following types of fines: – 10 thousand GEL if the organization does not fill out the application; In case of non-correction of defects in the documents within the specified period – 10 thousand GEL; Committing an offense after a month – 20 thousand GEL.
